Beverage preparation system

ABSTRACT

A beverage preparation machine includes (i) a reservoir for a fluid, (ii) a brewing head adapted for receiving at least one ingredient capsule, (iii) a pump for pumping a predetermined volume of the fluid from the reservoir to the brewing head, (iv) a heating element for optionally heating the fluid pumped from the reservoir before it enters the capsule, (v) an electronic control board able to receive commands from a control panel of the machine. The control panel includes in combination: —a rotating wheel which is linked to the control board such that by rotating and/or pressing the wheel, a beverage preparation parameter is set in the control board, and —illuminated means, at least a portion of which has the shape of a schematic cup, which is linked to the control board such that the state of the beverage preparation parameter within the control board is represented on the means.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a National Stage of International ApplicationNo. PCT/EP2012/059816, filed on May 25, 2012, which claims priority toEuropean Patent Application No. 11167716.7, filed May 26, 2011, theentire contents of which are being incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns a beverage preparation system,particularly a system comprising a beverage preparation machine and acapsule containing a beverage preparation ingredient, said capsule beingdesigned to be inserted into said machine for preparation of a beverageby mixing under pressure a fluid and said ingredient into the capsule.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Beverage preparation machines are well known in the food science andconsumer goods area. Such machines allow a consumer to prepare at home agiven type of beverage, for instance a coffee-based beverage, e.g. anespresso or a brew-like coffee cup.

Today, most beverage preparation machines for in-home beveragepreparation comprise a system made of a machine which can accommodateportioned ingredients for the preparation of the beverage. Such portionscan be soft pods or pads, or sachets, but more and more systems usesemi-rigid or rigid portions such as rigid pods or capsules. In thefollowing, it will be considered that the beverage machine of theinvention is a beverage preparation machine working a semi-rigid orrigid capsule.

The machine comprises a receptacle for accommodating said capsule and afluid injection system for injecting a fluid, preferably water, underpressure into said capsule. Water injected under pressure in thecapsule, for the preparation of a coffee beverage according to thepresent invention, is preferably hot, that is to say at a temperatureabove 70° C. However, in some particular instances, it might also be atambient temperature. The pressure inside the capsule chamber duringextraction and/or dissolution of the capsule contents is typically about1 to 6 bar for dissolution products, 2 to 12 bar for extraction of roastand ground coffee. Such a preparation process differs a lot from theso-called “brewing” process of beverage preparation—particularly for teaand coffee, in that brewing involves a long time of infusion of theingredient by a fluid (e.g. hot water), whereas the beverage preparationprocess allows a consumer to prepare a beverage, for instance coffeewithin a few seconds.

The principle of extracting, infusing, and/or dissolving the contents ofa closed capsule under pressure is known and consists typically ofconfining the capsule in a receptacle of a machine, injecting a quantityof pressurized water into the capsule, generally after piercing a faceof the capsule with a piercing injection element such as a fluidinjection needle mounted on the machine, so as to create a pressurizedenvironment inside the capsule either to extract the substance ordissolve it, and then release the extracted substance or the dissolvedsubstance through the capsule. Capsules allowing the application of thisprinciple have already been described for example in applicant'sEuropean patent no EP 1 472 156 B1, and in EP 1 784 344 B1.

Machines allowing the application of this principle have already beendescribed for example in patents CH 605 293 and EP 242 556. According tothese documents, the machine comprises a receptacle for the capsule anda perforation and injection element made in the form of a hollow needlecomprising in its distal region one or more liquid injection orifices.The needle has a dual function in that it opens the top portion of thecapsule on the one hand, and that it forms the water inlet channel intothe capsule on the other hand. In many instances, the capsule isinserted into a capsule holder, which is preferably (but notnecessarily) detachable from the machine. The capsule holder loaded withthe capsule is then inserted into the machine. Using a capsule holderfor loading the capsule into the machine is not mandatory though, as thecapsule can also be loaded directly into an opening

The machine further comprises a fluid tank—in most cases this fluid iswater—for storing the fluid that is used to dissolve and/or infuseand/or extract under pressure the ingredient(s) contained in thecapsule. The machine comprises a heating element such as a boiler or aheat exchanger, which is able to warm up the water used therein toworking temperatures (classically temperatures up to 80-90° C.).Finally, the machine comprises a pump element for circulating the waterfrom the tank to the capsule, optionally though the heating element. Theway the water circulates within the machine is selected via a selectingvalve means, such as for instance a peristaltic valve of the typedescribed in applicant's European patent application EP 2162653 A1.

When the beverage to be prepared is coffee, one interesting way toprepare the said coffee is to provide the consumer with a capsulecontaining roast and ground coffee powder, which is to be extracted withhot water injected therein.

Capsules have been developed for such an application, which aredescribed and claimed in applicant's European patent EP 1 784 344 B1, orin European patent application EP 2 062 831.

In short, such capsules comprise typically:

-   -   a hollow body and an injection wall which is impermeable to        liquids and to air and which is attached to the body and adapted        to be punctured by e.g. an injection needle of the machine,    -   a chamber containing a bed of roast and ground coffee to be        extracted,    -   an aluminum membrane disposed at the bottom end of the capsule,        closing the said capsule, for retaining the internal pressure in        the chamber, the said membrane being associated with piercing        means for piercing dispensing holes in the said aluminum        membrane when said internal pressure inside the chamber reaches        a certain predetermined value,    -   optionally, means configured to break the jet of fluid so as to        reduce the speed of the jet of fluid injected into the capsule        and distribute the fluid across the bed of substance at a        reduced speed.

Beverage preparation machines and capsules as described above, for manyof them, are designed to give the consumer the choice of preparing thebeverage he likes amongst a whole range of beverage products.

For each beverage type, the dose of ingredients contained in a capsuleare carefully dosed, to correspond to a volume to be dispensed in thecup. Such a volume is optimized to guarantee an optimal organolepticprofile, in terms of flavors, aromas, and texture.

Some machines are automatically set by recognition of the capsule type,so that the machine adapts the volume of beverage that is dispensed inthe cup, depending on the beverage that is prepared. Other machines canbe programmed manually, so that the user can chose a small cup or alarge cup dispensing, whatever the beverage type.

However, such machines have the disadvantage that they lack flexibilityto give an easy access to the volume selection at each serve: automatedmachines do not give any possibility to the consumer to divert from thepre-programmed dispensing volume, and the programmable machines requireto be re-programmed each time the user wants to adapt the cup size.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The drawbacks of known beverage preparation systems, as set out above,are solved by the presentation invention with a beverage preparationmachine comprising:

(i) a reservoir for a fluid,

(ii) a brewing head adapted for receiving at least one ingredientcapsule,

(iii) a pump for pumping a predetermined volume of said fluid from saidreservoir to said brewing head, such that said fluid can be injectedinto said capsule to mix with said ingredient under pressure and producea predetermined volume of beverage,

(iv) a heating element for optionally heating said fluid pumped fromsaid reservoir before it enters the capsule,

(v) an electronic control board able to receive commands from a controlpanel of the machine, and actuate operation of the pump, heatingelement, control panel, and/or brewing head,

characterized in that said control panel comprises in combination:

-   -   a rotating wheel which is linked to the control board such that        by rotating the wheel, a beverage preparation parameter is set        in said control board, and    -   illuminated means, at least a portion of which has the shape of        a schematic cup, which is linked to said control board such that        the state of said beverage preparation parameter within said        control board is represented on said means.

The schematic cup can have any shape as long as it representsschematically a volume to be dispensed in an empty container. The shapecan be a rectangle made of superimposed bars, or a series of dots (inline, arc, circle or other shape). The shape can be vertical,horizontal, or placed in any other direction.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the beverage preparationparameter comprises a volume V to be pumped from the reservoir, to berepresented on the illuminated means as a fraction of said schematic cuptotal volume. This volume V corresponds to the volume of the beveragethat will eventually be dispensed into the cup, with the difference of asmall volume of beverage which may stay in the ingredient capsule andalso in part of the machine pipes, e.g. between 1 and 10 cl, preferablybetween 1 and 5 cl (the final in-cup volume is slightly less than theinitial volume of water pumped from the reservoir).

More particularly, the volume V preferably corresponds to a volume ofprepared beverage, which is comprised between 10 and 400 ml, preferablybetween 30 and 300 ml, more preferably between 50 and 250 ml.

Advantageously, said wheel can comprise a press-button degree ofliberty, so that a consumer can press it as a push button.

More preferably in this case, said wheel is the only command button forthe machine, serving as:

(i) a rotating selector, for selecting at least one beverage preparationparameter, and

(ii) a press-button selector, for validating or cancelling each of saidbeverage preparation parameter, and to start a brewing cycle.

For instance a user can set a beverage preparation parameter by rotatingthe wheel, and validate the setting by short pressure onto the wheel. Ifthe setting suits the user needs, a brewing cycle can be started by anadditional short pressure onto the wheel. In case the setting does notfit the user needs, it can be cancelled by a long pressure onto thewheel. The same setting process can be used for several preparationparameters, each being set by wheel rotation then validated by wheelpush, so that once a parameter is set and validated, the wheel is usedsimilarly for setting and validating another parameter, until allparameters are set and validated, so that an additional pressure on thewheel starts a beverage preparation (i.e. brewing) cycle. Preferably inthis case, the number of various parameters is quite limited to shortenand simplify the machine usage. Highly preferably, not more than twoparameters are to be set.

Such a control panel configuration comprising one single command switch(i.e. the wheel) is particularly simple, intuitive, and easy to use,compared to beverage preparation machines having a control panel withmore than one single command switch; it solves the disadvantages offully automated or manual machines of the art.

Alternatively, the control panel of the machine can comprise, inaddition to the selector wheel, at least one other selector for pumpingfluid from the reservoir either: directly into the capsule, or via saidheating element such that said fluid entering said capsule is hot.

More preferably, said selector comprises one push-button for pumpingwater at room temperature, and another push-button for pumping water tobe heated.

In one first alternative embodiment of the present invention, saidilluminated means comprises a plurality of superimposedretro-illuminated LED (Light Emitting Diodes) lamps having the shape of:bars, dots, and/or being frustoconical, said LED lamps being disposedsuch as to represent a cup shape.

In a second alternative embodiment of the present invention, saidilluminated means comprises a black and white or colour LCD (LiquidCrystal Display), OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode), or AMOLED(Active-Matrix Organic Light-Emitting Diode) screen.

Advantageously, the rotating wheel can comprise rotation blocking meansto prevent said wheel to rotate more than half a rotation, preferablymore than a quarter of a rotation.

Further, said wheel preferably comprises clicking means to produceaudible and/or touch sensitive feedback during rotation, so as to givesensitive feedback to the user during setting of the machineparameter(s). Preferably, each audible click produced by the rotatingwheel during rotation, corresponds to one increment in the parameterthat is set by the rotation.

Advantageously, the wheel can be illuminated. In this case, it is madefrom a translucent material, and comprises at least one LED disposedtherein, or similar source of light.

In a highly preferred embodiment of the present invention, said wheelprotrudes from the surface of the machine, so as to be easy to sense andmanipulate by the user finger.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Additional features and advantages of the present invention aredescribed in, and will be apparent from, the description of thepresently preferred embodiments which are set out below with referenceto the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a machine comprising a control panelaccording to a first possible embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial perspective view of the extraction head ofa beverage preparation machine with a control panel according to the asecond embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns a beverage preparation machine 1, asillustrated in FIG. 1, which comprises:

(i) a reservoir 2 for a fluid,

(ii) a brewing head 3 adapted for receiving at least one ingredientcapsule (not illustrated in the drawing),

(iii) a pressure pump for pumping a predetermined volume of said fluidfrom said reservoir 2 to said brewing head 3, such that said fluid canbe injected into said capsule to mix with said ingredient underpressure, and thereby produce a predetermined volume of beverage whichis dispensed in a cup (not shown in the drawing) placed onto the cuptray 4.

The machine further comprises a heating element for optionally heatingsaid fluid pumped from said reservoir before it enters the capsule, andan electronic control board able to receive commands from a controlpanel 5 of the machine, and actuate operation of the pump, heatingelement, control panel, and/or brewing head,

According to the invention, the control panel 5 comprises incombination:

-   -   a rotating wheel 6 which is linked to the control board such        that by rotating said wheel, a beverage preparation parameter is        set in said control board, and    -   illuminated (or coloured, or tactile) means 7, at least a        portion of which has the shape of a schematic cup, which is        linked to said control board such that the state of said        beverage preparation parameter is represented on said means.

As shown in FIG. 1, the machine can comprise a removable capsule holder8, which is used to load a capsule there into, and place the loadedcapsule holder into the brewing head for operation of the machine.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the beverage preparation parameter comprises avolume V to be pumped from the reservoir, which is represented on theilluminated means 7 as a fraction of said schematic cup total volume.More precisely, the volume V is represented schematically as a volume ofproduct in a schematic representation of a cup 9.

The volume V corresponds to a volume of water that is pumped from thereservoir, which is comprised between 50 and 250 ml. This volume almostcorresponds to the final volume of final beverage that will be deliveredin the cup. In some instances however, the in-cup volume can be a few clless than the pumped volume of water, due to some liquid staying withinthe capsule and/or machine fluid pipes, not being dispensed. In thefollowing description of specific embodiments of the invention, forsimplification purposes, it will be taken for granted that the pumpedvolume V as set by the user on the machine control panel and thebeverage volume eventually dispensed in the cup, are the same. Such avolume range covers from ristretto coffees, to large size beverages,such as long tea cups, or brew-like coffee cups or Americano coffeecups.

In a first alternative embodiment of the present invention illustratedin FIG. 1, the beverage preparation machine comprises an LCD—LiquidCrystal Display—screen which is designed to display at least onebeverage preparation parameter such as volume to be dispensed as shownin the drawing. More preferably, the LCD screen is able to displayseveral menus which can be displayed alternately or simultaneously. Theuser switches from and menu displayed to another one by using the scrollwheel, validating his choice by using one push button located onto thecontrol panel of the machine, or by directly pressing onto the scrollwheel to validate.

Such different menus may include information regarding the beveragepreparation parameters like recipes, or parameters for the preparationof a beverage such as volume or temperature of the dispensed beverage,or settings of the machine (standby mode activation for instance).

In a second alternative embodiment of the present invention illustratedin FIG. 2, the illuminated means 7 of the beverage preparation machinecomprises a series of superimposed retro-illuminated LED bars 10, eachLED bar having a shape such that the group of LED bars represents a cup9.

In this embodiment, in addition to the illuminated means 7, the controlpanel 5 of the beverage preparation machine 1 comprises a set of twobuttons 11 to select the temperature of the fluid that will be injectedinto the capsule for mixing with the capsule contents and preparing abeverage. Typically, one button selects for ambient temperature (i.e.“cold”), while the other button selects for hot fluid to prepare a hotbeverage.

Said rotating wheel can however additionally comprise a press-buttondegree of liberty, so that a consumer can press it as a push button.

In a third embodiment of the invention, the control panel 5 of themachine comprises the illuminated means 7 similarly to that described inrelation to the second embodiment described above, as well as a wheel 6which can rotate but also be used as a push button. In this case, saidwheel 6 is the only command button for the machine, serving as:

(i) a rotating selector, for selecting at least one beverage preparationparameter, and

(ii) a press-button selector, for validating or cancelling each of saidbeverage preparation parameter, and to start a brewing cycle.

For instance a user can set a beverage preparation parameter by rotatingthe wheel, and validate the setting by short pressure onto the wheel. Ifthe setting suits the user needs, a brewing cycle can be started by anadditional short pressure onto the wheel. In case the setting does notfit the user needs, it can be cancelled by a long pressure onto thewheel. The same setting process can be used for several preparationparameters, each being set by wheel rotation then validated by wheelpush, so that once a parameter is set and validated, the wheel is usedsimilarly for setting and validating another parameter, until allparameters are set and validated, so that an additional pressure on thewheel starts a beverage preparation (i.e. brewing) cycle. Preferably inthis case, the number of various parameters is quite limited to shortenand simplify the machine usage. Highly preferably, not more than twoparameters are to be set.

Such a control panel configuration comprising one single command switch(i.e. the wheel) is particularly simple, intuitive, and easy to use,compared to beverage preparation machines having a control panel withmore than one single command switch.

In a fourth embodiment, the illuminated means comprises a mechanicallevel indication that replaces the LDC screen or the LED bars. Forinstance, said mechanical level indication can be a coloured (e.g.green) element that is movable up/down behind openings cut through thesurface of the control panel. The movement of the coloured element islinked mechanically to the rotation of the selector wheel. Themechanical element is retro-illuminated such that it is visible throughthe openings of the control panel. This is a cheaper solution to thatinvolving LED bars or a LCD screen, while providing similar advantagesto the consumer.

In any of the preceding embodiments described, the rotating wheel cancomprise rotation blocking means to prevent said wheel to rotate morethan a quarter of a rotation.

Furthermore, said wheel then comprises clicking means to produce audibleand touch sensitive feedback during rotation, so as to give sensitivefeedback to the user fingers during setting of the machine parameter(s).Each audible and sensitive click produced by the rotating wheel duringrotation, corresponds to one increment in the parameter that is set bythe rotation, which is represented on the illuminated means by one moreor one less LED bar which is illuminated so as to represent more or lessvolume to be dispensed in the cup.

With such a wheel, it is possible to set the machine before starting abeverage preparation cycle, without even looking at the illuminatedmeans. In that case, setting a volume to be dispensed is easy: the userfirst rotates the wheel in an extreme direction until the rotation isblocked. For instance, by rotating the wheel downwardly, the volume isset to the lowest in-cup volume possible (no bars are illuminated on theLED bar screen). Then the user increments a higher volume by rotatingthe wheel upwards, one click at a time, until a desired volume isreached. While rotating the wheel, feedback is given to the user byaudible (i.e. click) and sensitive means (i.e. sensitive feedback thateach incremental rotation requires a small effort to reach the nextincremental position of the wheel). When the user has set the desiredvolume to dispense, for instance five increments out of seven (sevenrepresenting the maximum volume that can be dispensed, which isrepresented on the LED bar screen by all seven LED bars illuminated),then five LED bars are illuminated as illustrated in FIG. 2, and theuser can start a beverage preparation cycle by either pressing one ofthe buttons “hot” or “cold”, or alternatively press onto the wheel tosave the volume parameter that has just been set, and then either:

start a beverage brewing cycle by pressing onto the wheel a second time,or

use the wheel to start a second parameter, for instance the temperatureif no specific temperature buttons are present on the control panel 5.

In that second case, the user rotates the wheel up or down to select“hot” or “cold” and then presses again onto the wheel to validateher/his choice. A beverage preparation cycle then starts automatically,and the machine stops automatically when the selected volume has beendispensed in the cup.

Although one main problem underlying the present invention is to providethe user with a user-friendly control panel for easily, conveniently andintuitively setting and using the beverage preparation machine, anotherproblem underlying the invention is also to provide the user with acontrol panel that provides a maximum of flexibility in setting thedesired preparation parameters, while requiring a minimum of buttons,levers or switches to be actuated.

This problem is met with a display that graphically represents the cupto be filled, and that is linked to a very user-friendly actuator in theform a wheel which rotates such that less than two, preferably less thanone, more preferably less than half a full rotation (i.e.) 360° of thewheel is necessary to set a volume V of water to be pumped from thereservoir (i.e. which corresponds almost to the final volume ofdispensed beverage in cup) which is comprised between 0% and 100% of themaximum volume of water that can be pumped for preparation of oneserving. Preferably, the maximum volume that can be pumped by themachine to prepare one beverage serve is 400 ml.

In a more preferred embodiment, a rotation of between 15° and 180° isnecessary to set a volume V to be pumped that is comprised between 0 and400 ml, preferably between 30 and 300 ml, more preferably between 50 and250 ml. In that last instance, the minimum volume V that can be selectedfor preparing a beverage corresponds to a pumped volume of water fromthe reservoir which is 50 ml, and also corresponds to an in-cup servingsize of between 45 and 50 ml, depending on the volume of small beveragedrops remaining within the machine and capsule, that are not dispensedin the cup.

In order to allow a very fine tuning/setting by the user, of the fluidvolume V to be pumped from the reservoir (which almost corresponds tothe in-cup delivery volume of the prepared beverage), the rotation ofthe wheel along the angle that covers the full range of volumes that canbe set (0% to 100%) is preferably divided into rotation angle segments.Each segment corresponds to one fraction of the total volume V that canbe set by the user, and is to be displayed as such on the illuminatedmeans.

In the case of the second and third embodiments described above withreference to FIG. 2, the machine can be designed for instance such thatthe full range of volumes that can be set (i.e. between 0% and 100% ofthe maximum volume that can be pumped for one serve) is covered by acircular wheel rotation amplitude of 0° to 120°.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, each fraction of the volumerange that can be selected manually with the wheel, is displayed on theilluminated means as a corresponding illuminated fraction of the cuprepresentation. For instance, if the rotating wheel is set such that thefull range of selectable volumes is divided into seven fractions, thecup representation in the illuminated means of the machine is alsodivided into seven corresponding fractions. For each additional volumefraction that is selected by rotating the wheel, one correspondingadditional fraction of the cup is illuminated on the illuminated means.The number of fractions for a full volume range is at least 3,preferably at least 4, more preferably at least 5, and most preferablyat least 7, but not higher than 30. Each fraction of the cuprepresentation on the illuminated means can be for instance a bar thatbelongs to a series of superimposed retro-illuminated LED bars 10 asdescribed above in reference to FIG. 2, each LED bar having a shape suchthat the group of LED bars represents a cup 9.

Importantly, it is to be noted that all fractions of volume as selectedwith the wheel and as displayed in the illuminated means, do notnecessarily correspond to pumped volumes which are equivalent for allselected fractions. For instance, the first fraction in the selectablevolume range can correspond to 60 ml of liquid to be pumped from thereservoir, the second fraction which can be then selected willcorrespond to an additional 30 ml, whereas the third fraction that willbe selected if the user keeps rotating the wheel will correspond to anadditional 50 ml, etc., until the user reaches the maximum volume thatcan be pumped from the reservoir by rotating the wheel for a selectionof the last fraction in the selectable volume range.

In one further embodiment of the invention, the first fraction of theselectable volume range can be preselected automatically in the beveragemachine program, such that at machine start, the first fraction isalready preselected and represented on the illuminated means as onefraction of the cup representation. For larger volumes, the user thenrotates the wheel for selecting additional volume fractions.

It will be appreciated that the various possibilities and embodimentsdescribed above can be combined, in order to achieve the most convenientcontrol panel. Typically, a control panel using LED bar illuminatedmeans, a rotating wheel for selection of volume, and two buttons for“hot” or “cold” selection, is preferred.

However, a similar version without the temperature selectors, that arereplaced by a selection and validation by rotating/pressing the wheel asdescribed above is also certainly very advantageous, and particularly,brings the advantage that users with limited or no eyesight can rapidlylearn and use such a machine.

In all embodiments described above, the wheel protrudes from the surfaceof the machine, so as to be easy to sense and manipulate by the userfinger.

Last but not least concerning the wheel selector, in one possibleembodiment of the invention, the wheel is not a complete circle (360°),but only a “rocker” switch, for instance shaped as a half moon. Thiskind of rocker lever can be used when there is no room for a full wheelin the control panel 5 of the machine, for example if the beveragepreparation machine is particularly small in size. In such a case, byholding the rocker lever in one of the end positions, the settings andLED bars levels move up/down, incrementally corresponding to each of theimpulsions given by the user using the rocker-like wheel.

The fluid reservoir can be integrated into the machine casing, or it canbe remote from the machine. In the latter case, the reservoir can be forinstance a water bottle. In that case, the machine comprises a tubingconnected in a fluid manner to the fluid pump, said tubing being adaptedto be plunged into the remote reservoir (e.g. water bottle).

The rotating wheel described above can also be virtual and take the formof a sensitive track-pad, onto which the user slides a finger, like fora physical rotating wheel.

It should be understood that various changes and modifications to thepresently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent tothose skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications can be madewithout departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention andwithout diminishing its attendant advantages. It is therefore intendedthat such changes and modifications be covered by the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A beverage preparation machine comprising:a reservoir for a fluid; a brewing head adapted for receiving at leastone ingredient capsule containing an ingredient; a pump for pumping apredetermined volume of the fluid from the reservoir to the brewinghead, such that the fluid can be injected into the at least oneingredient capsule to mix with the ingredient under pressure and producea predetermined volume of beverage; an electronic control board able toreceive commands from a control panel of the beverage preparationmachine and actuate operation of at least one component selected fromthe group consisting of the pump, the control panel, the brewing head,the control panel comprising in combination: a rotating wheel which islinked to the electronic control board such that by rotating or and/orpressing the rotating wheel, a beverage preparation parameter is set inthe electronic control board, and an illuminated or colored memberselected from the group consisting of (i) a screen that is a black andwhite Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) screen, a color LCD screen, anOrganic Light-Emitting Diode (OLED) screen, or an Active-Matrix OrganicLight-Emitting Diode (AMOLED) screen, (ii) a plurality of superimposedretro-illuminated LED lamps, the plurality of superimposedretro-illuminated LED lamps comprising a first bar, a second bar, and athird bar, the second bar located between the first bar and the thirdbar, the first bar is shorter than the second bar and is shorter thanthe third bar, and the second bar is shorter than the third bar and islonger than the first bar, and (iii) a plurality of superimposedretro-illuminated LED lamps, the plurality of superimposedretro-illuminated LED lamps having a shape that is frustoconical, atleast a portion of the illuminated or colored member has a shape of aschematic cup having a total volume, the illuminated or colored memberis linked to the electronic control board such that a state of thebeverage preparation parameter within the electronic control board isrepresented on the illuminated or colored member, the beveragepreparation parameter comprises a volume to be pumped from the reservoirand to be represented on the illuminated or colored member as a fractionof the total volume of the schematic cup total volume, each fraction ofa volume range that can be selected manually with the rotating wheel isdisplayed on the illuminated or colored member as a correspondingilluminated or colored fraction of the schematic cup, such that for eachadditional volume fraction that is selected by rotating or pressing therotating wheel, one corresponding additional fraction of the schematiccup is illuminated or colored on the illuminated or colored member. 2.The beverage preparation machine according to claim 1, wherein a numberof fractions for a full selectable volume range is at least 3 but nothigher than
 30. 3. The beverage preparation machine according to claim1, wherein the schematic cup total volume corresponds to a volume ofprepared beverage between 10 and 400 ml.
 4. The beverage preparationmachine according to claim 1, wherein the rotating wheel comprises apress-button degree of liberty, so that a consumer can press therotating wheel as a push button.
 5. The beverage preparation machineaccording to claim 4, wherein the rotating wheel is the only commandbutton for the beverage preparation machine, serving as: a rotatingselector configured to select the beverage preparation parameter, and apress-button selector configured to validate or cancel, each of thebeverage preparation parameter and to start a brewing cycle.
 6. Thebeverage preparation machine according to claim 1, wherein the controlpanel comprises at least one selector configured to pump fluid from thereservoir either directly into the at least one ingredient capsule orvia a heating element such that the fluid entering the at least oneingredient capsule is hot.
 7. The beverage preparation machine accordingto claim 6, wherein the at least one selector comprises (i) onepush-button for pumping the liquid at a room temperature and (ii)another push-button for pumping the liquid to be heated.
 8. The beveragepreparation machine according to claim 1, wherein the rotating wheel isilluminated.
 9. The beverage preparation machine according to claim 1,wherein the rotating wheel protrudes from a surface of the beveragepreparation machine.
 10. A beverage preparation machine comprising: areservoir for a fluid; a brewing head adapted for receiving at least oneingredient capsule containing an ingredient; a pump for pumping apredetermined volume of the fluid from the reservoir to the brewinghead, such that the fluid can be injected into the at least oneingredient capsule to mix with the ingredient under pressure and producea predetermined volume of beverage; a heating element for heating thefluid pumped from the reservoir before the fluid enters the at least oneingredient capsule; an electronic control board able to receive commandsfrom a control panel of the beverage preparation machine and actuateoperation of at least one component selected from the group consistingof the pump, the heating element, the control panel, and the brewinghead, the control panel comprising: a rotating wheel which is linked tothe electronic control board such that by rotating or pressing thewheel, a beverage preparation parameter is set in the electronic controlboard, and an illuminated or colored member selected from the groupconsisting of (i) a screen that is a black and white LCD screen, a colorLCD screen, an OLED screen, or an AMOLED screen and (ii) a plurality ofsuperimposed retro-illuminated LED lamps, the plurality of superimposedretro-illuminated LED lamps comprising a first bar, a second bar, and athird bar, the second bar located between the first bar and the thirdbar, the first bar is shorter than the second bar and is shorter thanthe third bar, and the second bar is shorter than the third bar and islonger than the first bar, and (iii) a plurality of superimposedretro-illuminated LED lamps, the plurality of superimposedretro-illuminated LED lamps having a shape that is frustoconical, atleast a portion of the illuminated or colored member has a shape of aschematic cup having a total volume, the illuminated or colored memberis linked to the electronic control board such that a state of thebeverage preparation parameter within the electronic control board isrepresented on the illuminated or colored member, the beveragepreparation parameter comprises a volume to be pumped from the reservoirand to be represented on the illuminated or colored member as a fractionof the total volume of the schematic cup, wherein each fraction of avolume range that can be selected manually with the rotating wheel isdisplayed on the illuminated or colored member as a correspondingilluminated or colored fraction of the schematic cup, such that for eachadditional volume fraction that is selected by rotating or pressing therotating wheel, one corresponding additional fraction of the schematiccup is illuminated or colored on the illuminated or colored member. 11.The beverage preparation machine according to claim 1, wherein theelectronic control board is configured such that the illuminated orcolored member is activated to represent a fraction of the volume rangeonly when the volume selected to be pumped is larger than a lowestpossible in-cup volume.
 12. The beverage preparation machine accordingto claim 1, wherein the rotating wheel is distant from the illuminatedand colored member.
 13. The beverage preparation machine according toclaim 1, wherein the rotating wheel is configured to produce audible andtouch sensitive clicks during rotation to provide tactile feedback to afinger of a user when the user sets the beverage preparation parameter.14. The beverage preparation machine according to claim 13, wherein eachof the audible and touch sensitive clicks corresponds to one volumefraction increment within the volume range.
 15. The beverage preparationmachine according to claim 1, wherein the rotating wheel is located onthe brewing head.
 16. The beverage preparation machine according toclaim 1, wherein the beverage preparation machine further comprises aremovable capsule holder configured to receive the at least oneingredient capsule and be placed into the brewing head for operation ofthe beverage preparation machine.
 17. The beverage preparation machineaccording to claim 1, wherein the beverage preparation machine furthercomprises a frame comprising at least one frame surface extending aroundthe rotating wheel, and the at least one frame surface is free from anysign, mark or scale.